Every house needs updating every couple of years, especially if yours is starting to look worn and disagreeable. This is especially true if you spend a lot of time at home due to the pandemic. With a high demand for a change of scenery and a wide assortment of options available to you, it’s easy to go the affordable route and forego the idea of making green choices. After all, isn’t sustainability difficult and expensive?
Not really. When it comes to sustainable home renovations, you can make plenty of practical choices that won’t hurt your finances. The best part is that it might actually lower your expenses and give you items of superior quality.
Here are five of the best ways you can do this quickly:
Dismantle, Don’t Demolish
For properties that will undergo extensive renovations, it’s best to opt for deconstruction and dismantling. The traditional demolishing jobs destroy materials that could’ve been salvaged and reused. While it does get the work done faster, the benefit of saved time is hardly as significant as the benefits of salvaging construction goods. The dismantled and reused materials from your old infrastructure could be incorporated into your new build, which then leads to lower construction costs. Furthermore, you’re also lessening the amount of waste that would likely just go to landfills.
Reclaimed Materials are Your Friend
Just because an item is brand-new and shiny doesn’t always mean it’s a worthwhile investment. You’ll be surprised at how reclaimed materials like wood, steel, and bricks are often so much more durable and versatile than their brand-new counterparts. You can find options for flooring, countertops, walls, and even fences that are made from reclaimed materials and are guaranteed to last longer in good condition.
It’s understandable if this feels like hard work, which is why it’s important to partner with contractors that also practice sustainability. Companies such as Trex Fencing – SRF, for example, offer composite wood fence panels which can be manufactured and installed in a way that complements your property. The quality of its aesthetic and functionality aren’t compromised by its composition, and you can be sure that you’ll have a product that you’ll enjoy for years.
Buy Pre-Owned
Buying pre-owned furniture and decors sounds risky, but not if you find reputable thrift stores. There are plenty of stores nowadays that not only salvage home furnishings but also repair and reface them.
Habitat for Humanity ReStore is an excellent example of that. They ask people to donate gently used goods to them for reselling in order to prevent them from ending up in landfills. More importantly, you’ll find that their costs are way cheaper than what you’re used to. There are many such stores popping up everywhere, and doing your research is worth the bargains you’ll find and the impact you’ll be making on the environment.
Reface Your Goods
Are you itching to replace worn-looking but functional cabinets, shelves, and other such hardware? Before you throw them out, check if simple repairs will suffice, and whether refacing them will solve the problem.
Many homeowners today are quick to chuck out anything that is old in favor of brand-new-looking products. This cycle spans years and countless households, which only worsens climate change. Shifting your mindset and looking for ways to revitalize existing goods will help you save money and the environment along with it.
Invest in Good Insulation
The better insulated your home is, the lower your ecological footprint. When you have problems with heating and cooling your home, your HVAC system works harder, which then increases your use of electricity. Your electric consumption is responsible for around 12 percent of your carbon footprint, so simply making sure that your home is properly insulated plays a huge part in your sustainability effort.
Good insulation is not just about buying quality equipment. You’ll want to make sure that every window and door is properly aligned and that air does not seep in and out through mild cracks. Remember that the quality of your new build will have a direct impact on whether you’ve achieved your insulation goals.
Making your home renovation sustainable is only as complicated as you make it to be. After ticking off this list, follow through with useful tips you find online. Reach out to friends and family members who have committed to the same green choices. In case you make one or two poor choices, don’t beat yourself up over it.
Green practices take time to get used to. Nevertheless, you can be sure that all the hard work you put into this will be worthwhile both for your property, and for the environment.
